Because we all need another pat on the back, another pick me up, another reminder of why we do what we do... Because there are too many snide comments, "I don't cares" and Nay Sayers out there.
I've been a mom for nearly 5 years and what a crazy new world it is every day! Has it been easy every day? No, not so much. Have I loved every minute of it? Yeah, I think I have. Does that sound contrived? When I think back on all the "hard stuff", I may not have enjoyed every second, but I love that I was there. There is something to love about the challenges and the difficulties. It's hard to see when you're in the moment, but talk to someone who is 20 years, 40 years, 50 years removed for some real perspective.
Also, I'll admit I'm spoiled. We all have adorable kids that make it all worth it, but I also have a very supportive and encouraging husband, family, friends and a God who I can talk to anytime and who wrote out a whole book for me to follow. These are very positive and encouraging relationships for me.
I realize that not everyone has this kind of support. Not everyone has grandmothers or grandmother figures in their lives to give them perspective on the challenges of today and how those challenges bring about the fruits of tomorrow. Not everyone has that ray of sunshine in their lives that will point out the good points or the humorous points of a rough day (at the right time). Not only do many parents not get this kind of support and encouragement, they sometimes don't get any! But what's worse is that we all get a big load of discouragement from the world we live in. Did you know that there are people who push the idea that mothers don't matter, dads are useless and parenting in general doesn't really affect how a kid grows up. Of course, that is ridiculous and there are countless studies that disprove that line of thinking entirely, but still, it is damaging if you hear, even a watered down version of it.
So, I want to combat some of that discouragement by reminding myself and others of the little things we do as families that are vitally important to our sons and daughters; their lives now and their futures.
Who knows how long it will take me to get to 5,001 reasons I love being mom. I know I'll never get there if I don't stay positive and focused on the little-big responsibilities that God has given me. He chose me to be the mom for a reason.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
# 0005: Going Out to Eat with My Kids
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!! Aaaahhh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!
Why?????
Do you ever feel like you are on display for all to see when you go out to eat with your kids? Like you are the entertainment for the evening?
You're up and down coutless times for bathroom breaks, maybe you forgot a sippy cup or diaper in the car, and, of course diciplinary measures... and forget about getting comfortable if there is any sort of salad bar or buffet involved!
The table is a mess, littered with napkins, straw wrappers, crayons, pieces of food, toys, extra cups, and probably toys.
But!!!!! It is a good thing!
It's a chance to teach manners in a new and different place. It's like your high school basketball team at an away game. Can we win even if we don't have the home court advantage?
You're maybe testing out new foods that you don't usually cook at home. It's not just a change of scenery, but also a change of taste. You may even discover that kids are more likely to try something new in a place that's new. Which can then open the doors to try these same foods at our own home.
It's something special (as long as you don't do it all the time) that makes them feel special (as long as you don't do it all the time). As long as you don't do it all the time, you're communicating, "We are taking you guys out to eat because we want to do something special and different as a family."
Personally, I would not want to go out to eat all the time, period. Personally, I'm a cheap skate and can't stand wasting that much money every day. I also, think you eat healthier at home. Most importantly, I think you have better conversations at home. Here is an interesting link to an article from TIME called The Magic of the Family Meal By Nancy Gibbs. It contains such quotes and statistics as, "A meal is about civilizing children. It's about teaching them to be a member of their culture." and "...kids who eat most often with their parents are 40% more likely to say they get mainly A's and B's in school than kids who have two or fewer family dinners a week."
Why?????
Do you ever feel like you are on display for all to see when you go out to eat with your kids? Like you are the entertainment for the evening?
You're up and down coutless times for bathroom breaks, maybe you forgot a sippy cup or diaper in the car, and, of course diciplinary measures... and forget about getting comfortable if there is any sort of salad bar or buffet involved!
The table is a mess, littered with napkins, straw wrappers, crayons, pieces of food, toys, extra cups, and probably toys.
It's a chance to teach manners in a new and different place. It's like your high school basketball team at an away game. Can we win even if we don't have the home court advantage?
You're maybe testing out new foods that you don't usually cook at home. It's not just a change of scenery, but also a change of taste. You may even discover that kids are more likely to try something new in a place that's new. Which can then open the doors to try these same foods at our own home.
It's something special (as long as you don't do it all the time) that makes them feel special (as long as you don't do it all the time). As long as you don't do it all the time, you're communicating, "We are taking you guys out to eat because we want to do something special and different as a family."
Personally, I would not want to go out to eat all the time, period. Personally, I'm a cheap skate and can't stand wasting that much money every day. I also, think you eat healthier at home. Most importantly, I think you have better conversations at home. Here is an interesting link to an article from TIME called The Magic of the Family Meal By Nancy Gibbs. It contains such quotes and statistics as, "A meal is about civilizing children. It's about teaching them to be a member of their culture." and "...kids who eat most often with their parents are 40% more likely to say they get mainly A's and B's in school than kids who have two or fewer family dinners a week."
Friday, September 21, 2012
# 0004: FEET!!!!!!
I absolutely LOVE baby, toddler, little kid FEET! I love to hold their feet in my hands and kiss 'em and tickle 'em and pretend I'm a ravenous monster scarfin' 'em down!
Their feet are so soft and meaty, not weird lookin' at all! A word of warnin' to ya, they can be dirty and smelly. However, one of the best things about these miniature hooves is this: when kissing, tickling, pretending to devour them , they are always accompanied by loads of shrieks, grins and giggles. It doesn't matter if their owners have just fallen and gotten hurt or if they're getting a diaper changed; the feet are adorable and the their owners love foot affection!
Their feet are so soft and meaty, not weird lookin' at all! A word of warnin' to ya, they can be dirty and smelly. However, one of the best things about these miniature hooves is this: when kissing, tickling, pretending to devour them , they are always accompanied by loads of shrieks, grins and giggles. It doesn't matter if their owners have just fallen and gotten hurt or if they're getting a diaper changed; the feet are adorable and the their owners love foot affection!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
# 0003: Puzzled
Two year olds L-O-V-E puzzles! Need a great gift idea for a two year old? Puzzles! Age appropriate puzzles! Remember the old school cardboard frame tray puzzles? They are not easy to find in stores. We ordered all of ours off eBay. We got some larger and small Disney themed puzzles. (They also worked great as potty training prizes.)
I love doing puzzles with the kids! It is so much fun to watch them think. You can see the little wheels in their heads turning. They try different spots... then, they finally get their piece in the right place and you can see they're faces light up at how proud thy are of themselves. And you get to heap the praise on them as well. Then, they very quickly move on to the next piece because they ARE ON A MISSION! I love how focused they are on completing these puzzles.
I love spending time together in this way. I enjoy watching them concentrate. I enjoy working with them and taking turns. I enjoy encouraging them, showing them patience, and telling them how awesome they are at doing puzzles. I enjoy giving them undivided attention during the completion of the puzzle. You have to do a puzzle with nothing else going on. It's so much more fun and enjoyable for everybody.
I've tried to play extreme puzzle madness where you dump out all your puzzles, mix up all the pieces and then see how fast you can put all of them back together. No one has been too into that... Yet!
I love doing puzzles with the kids! It is so much fun to watch them think. You can see the little wheels in their heads turning. They try different spots... then, they finally get their piece in the right place and you can see they're faces light up at how proud thy are of themselves. And you get to heap the praise on them as well. Then, they very quickly move on to the next piece because they ARE ON A MISSION! I love how focused they are on completing these puzzles.
I love spending time together in this way. I enjoy watching them concentrate. I enjoy working with them and taking turns. I enjoy encouraging them, showing them patience, and telling them how awesome they are at doing puzzles. I enjoy giving them undivided attention during the completion of the puzzle. You have to do a puzzle with nothing else going on. It's so much more fun and enjoyable for everybody.
I've tried to play extreme puzzle madness where you dump out all your puzzles, mix up all the pieces and then see how fast you can put all of them back together. No one has been too into that... Yet!
Friday, September 14, 2012
# 0002: Toys in my Bed
I love waking up to toys in my bed. It's such a colorful way to start the morning. And Sheriff Woody's hand being rammed up my nose is a sure-fire way to get me up and about!
Friday, September 7, 2012
# 0001: Praying with My Kids
There is so much I love about praying with my kids! And there is so much to say about praying with little kids and soooooo many stories about bedtime prayers, supper time prayers, church time prayers, anytime prayers... I know I'll come back to this reason of why I love being a mom numerous times so I'm just going to start here with a short list:
1. I love watching the newbies (the toddlers just learning to pray with the family) slapping their hands together, clasping them tightly with their little fingers pointed upstairs and I especially love their eyes shutting as tight as they can possibly go with these funny little grins on their faces. It has to be a short prayer for them to last all the way through like that!
2. I love when the babies think you're asleep in church and they try to pry your eyes open during prayer.
3. I love the EXTREMELY sweet prayers of a 3 year old (or 4 year old, or 5 or 6 or on up). It is amazing the simple sweetness that comes out of their mouths. Basically, the fact that this completely innocent little child is talking to God makes anything they say precious.
4. I love the EXTREMELY weird stuff that 3 year olds (or 4 year old, or 5 or 6 or on up) say in their prayers! That stuff is hilarious! It's golden! We should all get together and compile a book!
I'm so thankful that my husband and I can teach our kids about prayer together and have made it a daily priority. These 4 reasons I've listed as to why I love praying with my kids are fleeting- they are reasons for the here and now. I hope that in 10 years, 15 years and 20 years I can list a whole new set of reasons I love praying and will have loved praying with my kids. There is a bigger picture in all we do with our kids. The results will be in before we know it.
Here is Mosses telling the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 6 to take advantage of every chance they have to teach their kiddos about the Lord's commandments; talk about God's word when you walk along the road, when you go to bed, when you get up in the morning, write it down to take it with you, keep it near you all the time to focus on it:
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates."
 |
| Makes me think of Dr. Suess's, I Can Read with my Eyes Shut! |
1. I love watching the newbies (the toddlers just learning to pray with the family) slapping their hands together, clasping them tightly with their little fingers pointed upstairs and I especially love their eyes shutting as tight as they can possibly go with these funny little grins on their faces. It has to be a short prayer for them to last all the way through like that!
2. I love when the babies think you're asleep in church and they try to pry your eyes open during prayer.
3. I love the EXTREMELY sweet prayers of a 3 year old (or 4 year old, or 5 or 6 or on up). It is amazing the simple sweetness that comes out of their mouths. Basically, the fact that this completely innocent little child is talking to God makes anything they say precious.
4. I love the EXTREMELY weird stuff that 3 year olds (or 4 year old, or 5 or 6 or on up) say in their prayers! That stuff is hilarious! It's golden! We should all get together and compile a book!
Here is Mosses telling the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 6 to take advantage of every chance they have to teach their kiddos about the Lord's commandments; talk about God's word when you walk along the road, when you go to bed, when you get up in the morning, write it down to take it with you, keep it near you all the time to focus on it:
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates."
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